Missing Teddy
by Vinsmouse
Summary: Luke can't sleep, can Bo help?


Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: None

Rating: K

A/N: In this story, Luke is six and Bo is two. The story takes place the year before Trouble On The Horizon.

Summary: Luke can't sleep, can Bo help?

Missing Teddy

Six year old Luke Duke lay in his bed, softly crying into his pillow. He was trying to be brave, he really was, but he missed Teddy. He'd had Teddy for as long as he could remember, every night when he went to bed Teddy was there to keep away the bad dreams. Luke couldn't remember a time when he'd slept without Teddy by his side. Rising up, he punched his pillow angrily, "It's not fair, why'd Teddy have to go and die?"

"Luke? I sorry," Bo mumbled around his thumb as he gently patted the side of Luke's face.

"Thanks Bo, not your fault," Luke replied, good manners winning out over his bad mood.

" 'Kay, night," Bo said, turning to toddle back to his own bed.

"Bo, could you sleep with me tonight?" Luke quietly asked. He knew Bo wouldn't think anything about it, but he felt a little ashamed at needing comfort from his baby cousin. Wouldn't that mean old Rusty Taylor laugh if he saw Luke acting like a scared baby?

Nodding his head, Bo came back to Luke's bed and with his cousin's help climbed in beside the older boy. Wrapping one arm around his cousin, Luke felt himself relaxing for the first time in the last two days. As he lay there, he closed his eyes and thought about what had happened.

It had been a beautiful day, lots of sunshine and Luke was finally gonna get to ride on the tractor with Uncle Jesse. He was so excited, and in a moment of meanness he stuck his tongue out at Daisy who was mad because she couldn't go.

"You meanie Luke Duke!" Daisy yelled, which only made Luke laugh.

He wasn't laughing an hour later though when he returned to the farmhouse with his uncle. Luke had been having a great time, riding around the fields with Uncle Jesse as he plowed them for planting. Suddenly the tractor had hit a hidden stone, the unexpected bump making Luke lose his balance. Jesse grabbed for the little boy, just barely catching him as he tumbled towards the blades of the plow. He didn't however catch the teddy bear Luke had brought with him. The poor little bear had tumbled under the blades of the plow as the tractor's momentum carried it forward. Luke was heartbroken, but there was nothing to be done, Teddy was dead. The only thing to be done was to bring the bear back to his home for a proper burial. Jesse had left the tractor in the field and carried a heartbroken little boy in from the fields.

After Luke broke the news to his cousins, the three children solemnly dressed for Teddy's funeral. Uncle Jesse and Aunt Martha never argued about it a bit. Uncle Jesse carefully laid Teddy in an old shoe box, which Aunt Martha, as pall bearer, carried outside. Arriving at the old oak tree, Luke barely caught the sob when he looked at the grave his uncle had dug for Teddy. Gently laying the coffin in the grave, Martha moved away to stand with the children, while Jesee said a few words for Teddy. When Jesse picked up the shovel, planning to finish the job, Luke stepped forward and took it from him. "He was my Teddy, I'll do it," the small boy declared, daring anybody to argue with him.

"Alright Luke, let me get you a smaller shovel though," Jesse suggested. Taking the shovel from his hands, he carried it to the barn. He returned a few minutes later with a small garden spade and handed it to Luke. Nodding his head at Martha, the two of them picked up the younger children and went back to the house, giving Luke time alone.

That night the house was awakened by Luke's screams. Martha held Luke, rocking him and quietly soothing him with gentle words. Nothing was working though, and when Jesse tried it was even worse. "Go away, you killed Teddy!" Luke lashed out, his grief making him angry.

"I'm sorry Uncle Jesse," Luke sobbed when he saw the hurt look on his uncle's face. He didn't understand why he was being so mean to his uncle. It wasn't his fault that Teddy was gone, it was Luke's fault that his Teddy was dead.

"It's okay Luke, I know you're upset," Jesse kindly replied.

"Luke, you can sleep with Dolly," Daisy offered, holding out her prescious baby.

"Thanks Daisy, but I just want Teddy," Luke said, once again sobbing into his aunt's nightgown.

"Jesse, could you get Daisy and Bo back into bed? I'll stay with Luke," Martha offered.

"Yes ma'am, come on Daisy, let's get you into bed," Jesse said. Scooping the little girl up in his arms, he carried her to her room and tucked her back into her bed. Returning to the boys' room a few minutes later, he tucked Bo into bed, quietly watching as Martha worked her magic on Luke. By the time Bo had fallen back asleep, Luke wasn't far behind him.

Now it was the second night without Teddy and Luke hadn't even gotten to sleep yet. He couldn't, how was he going to sleep without Teddy to keep the bad dreams away? Luke lay in the bed, eyes closed and arms wrapped around Bo, wondering how he was going to sleep.

The sound of the rooster crowing as the sun peeked over the horizon woke Luke. For a second he forgot that Teddy was gone, then the memories returned. He couldn't believe he had slept without any bad dreams, how could that be? Then he realized his baby cousin was in the bed with him, funny he didn't remember Bo getting into the bed. "Hey Bo, time to get up," Luke whispered into his cousin's ear.

"Go 'way Luke, wanna sleep," Bo whined, snuggling against the older boy.

"Can't Bo, time to get up," Luke said. "It's Saturday, don't you want to watch cartoons?"

"Cartoons?" Bo said, starting to wake up.

"Yep, right after breakfast," Luke replied. "Come on, I'll help ya get dressed."

"Okay," Bo agreed, climbing out of the bed.

"Hey Bo ya know what?" Luke asked as helped Bo into the bathroom, knowing that would be needed first.

"What?"

"You kept the bad dreams away."

"I did?"

"Yep, you make a pretty good Teddy bear," Luke told him.

"I not Teddy, I's Bo," the younger boy corrected.

"Oh yeah, guess that makes you a Bo bear,"Luke said with a giggle.

"I's a Bo bear?" Bo looked at his older cousin, not sure he liked that idea.

"Yep, you're my Bo bear," Luke replied.

"Daisy's Bo bear?"

"Nope, just mine."

"Luke, you be happy?"

"Yeah, I'll be happy if you're my Bo bear," Luke answered, understanding as only a child can.

"Okay, I be Bo bear," Bo agreed with a smile.

"Thanks Bo bear," Luke said, wrapping his arms around Bo and giving him a fierce hug.

For a couple of years Bo was Luke's Bo bear whenever he was needed. Gradually, though, Luke outgrew the need for that sort of comfort, but he never forgot how his baby cousin had helped him through a loss that was terrible to his six-year old self, and he would always be grateful for the gift of his cousin's love.

The End


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